Last week, a two-tiered free dining package was announced for Disney Visa Rewards cardholders, and the package becomes available to the general public today. The free dining plan is available for stays August 28 through September 24. The deal includes lodging, base Magic Your Way passes (you can upgrade them with any of the available add-ons), a 20-page Disney's PhotoPass Photo Book, and the free dining plan. Additional pages may be added to your Photo Book, at standard cost, if you wish.

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If you choose a Value Resort for your stay, you'll receive the free Quick Service Dining Plan (two quick-service meals and two snacks per person per night, plus one resort refillable drink mug per person). If you'd prefer to stay at a Moderate, Deluxe, or Deluxe Villa Resort, you'll get the free standard Disney Dining Plan (one table- service meal, one quick-service meal, and one snack per person per night). Those at value resorts can upgrade their Quick Service Dining Plan to the standard plan for the difference in the plan's cost. The dining plans do not include gratuities or alcoholic beverages.

One thing to note here: Since these dates are already within the 180-day booking window, some table-service restaurants might already be booked solid. Don't count on having the ability to book any specific restaurant without checking first. Of course, if dining is the most important part of your trip, you can book your dining reservations first to lock in your favorites, then find a resort for those nights. You can always cancel the dining reservations if you can't get a resort for those dates.

You can book through August 27 while availability lasts, but reservations may go fast. The discount codes for the Disney Rewards Visa package are I25 for Value Resorts and O2M for Moderates and above. The codes for the general public were not available at publication time.

On the heels of the success of the pirate-themed guest rooms at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, which carry a price tag of $30 above the standard rate for similar rooms at that resort, Walt Disney World will be rolling out two new specialty room types. Health and wellness suites will debut at Disney's Contemporary Resort this fall, while Royal guest rooms will debut at Disney's Port Orleans Resort by March 2012.

The 23 health and wellness suites on the Contemporary's 14th floor will feature cardio equipment in the room, as well as access to seasonal and organic fresh foods at the concierge lounge. Bamboo flooring, 100-percent cotton linens, and non-allergenic wrapped mattresses will add to the health focus of the rooms, while rainwater showers and tea tree oils in the bathroom will complete the experience. Yoga sessions and spa treatments will also be available in the Contemporary's renovated "wellness studio."

Meanwhile, at Port Orleans Resort, 512 of the resort's 3,056 total rooms (2,048 at Riverside and 1,008 at French Quarter) will be converted to "Royal Guest Rooms." The rooms are themed to a combination of multiple Disney princesses, as the storyline for the rooms notes that Princess Tiana has invited some of the other princesses (such as Belle and Jasmine) for a vacation getaway. This will allow Disney to add features highlighting multiple princess movies, providing something for everyone regardless of their favorite princess. Headboards will feature fiber-optic special effects, and special artwork and other features will complete the theme. It's unknown at this time how the new "Royal" rooms will be distributed between Riverside's Alligator Bayou and Magnolia Bend, and French Quarter.

Disney replaces the hard goods (furnitures, fixtures, and flooring) in guest rooms approximately every 12 years, and soft goods (carpets, fabric, and paint) every six years. Port Orleans is currently going through its scheduled hard goods renovation, which is scheduled for completion next June.

When Disney's Art of Animation Resort opens next May, it will likely pull some visitors that would have otherwise booked a Moderate resort, such as Port Orleans. This changeover—like the Caribbean Beach Resort's pirate rooms—might help to retain some guests at the moderate level.

Tickets are now on sale for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. The Halloween Party will be held on 23 nights (down from 25 nights last year) on September 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, 30, October 2, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31, and November 1. The Christmas Party will be held on 19 nights (up from 18 nights last year) on November 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, 27, 29, 30, December 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, and 18.

The Halloween party's start switches back to the second week of September, with the Night of Joy moving back up to September 9 and 10. Both parties run from 7 p.m. until midnight on each of their nights, with parades (Boo-To-You and Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime) taking place at 8:15 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. and fireworks (Happy HalloWishes and Holiday Wishes) going off at 9:30 p.m. While the parties start at 7 p.m., your party ticket should get you into the Magic Kingdom starting around 4 p.m. that afternoon.

The Halloween party carries a variable price tag this year. For events in September, day-of-event pricing is $59.95 plus tax for adults and $53.95 for children ages 3-9. October and November dates have day-of-event pricing of $62.95 and $57.95 for adults and children, respectively, except for October 28 and 31, which carry the even higher price of $67.95 and $62.95, being the last Friday night before Halloween and Halloween night. Advance purchase discounts of $6 per ticket for the general public and $10 per ticket for passholders and DVC Members are available to the general public for all dates except Friday nights in October, plus October 13, 30, and 31.

The Christmas party carries day-of-event pricing of $62.95 plus tax for adults and $57.95 for children ages 3-9, the same as the October and November dates for the Halloween party. Advance purchase discounts of $6 per ticket for the general public and $10 per ticket for passholders and DVC Members are available to the general public for all date,s except November 18 and 27 (the Friday before and Sunday after Thanksgiving), December 2, 9, and 16 (Friday nights in December), and December 18 (the last party). Passholder discounts are also not available on December 7, 11, 13, and 14.

Note: The second annual Wine & Dine Half Marathon takes place on Saturday, October 1, so expect tickets for that weekend (September 30 and October 2) to be particularly popular among those who plan to go to Walt Disney World for the race at Epcot. Also, for those planning ahead, the third annual MouseAdventure: World Explorers game will take place on November 12 (sign up for the mailing list!), so there are likely to be other adventurers attending the party that weekend. Don't stay up too late the night before the game, though, as exhaustion is not your friend during MouseAdventure!

We now have an official list of celebrity guests for this year's Star Wars Weekends, running Fridays through Sundays from May 20 through June 12, though there may be one notable name missing from the list that may make an appearance. Each weekend will feature celebrity hosts James Arnold Taylor (the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and Ashley Eckstein (the voice of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars). Eckstein will again host the "Clone Wars: Behind the Force" event, while Taylor will perform a one-man show featuring some of the many voices that he has provided for animated roles.

The official guest list features:

May 20-22

Anthony Daniels (C-3PO)

Dave Filoni (Clone Wars supervising director)

May 27-29

Anthony Daniels (C-3PO)

Bruce Spence (Tion Medon)

Dee Bradley Baker (Captain Rex in Clone Wars, General Grievous)

June 3-5

Ray Park (Darth Maul)

Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett)

Matt Lanter (Anakin Skywalker in Clone Wars)

June 10-12

Ray Park (Darth Maul)

Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)

Tom Kane (Yoda in Clone Wars)

Not listed, but strongly rumored to appear is Star Wars creator George Lucas. Lucas will reportedly be at Disney's Hollywood Studios during the first Star Wars Weekend to help launch Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, which officially opens on May 20, the first day of the event. In anticipation of the demand to ride the attraction during its first weekend of operation, park hours for May 20-22 have been extended to 8 a.m. to midnight. Rumors persist that Disney is considering actually opening the gates even earlier than 8 a.m. to deal with the expected influx, but that may end up being an on-the-spot decision with guests only being allowed to walk to the Star Tours attraction, with the rest of the park remaining closed.

Send us your menu photos!

We've recently completed a major update of the park restaurant menus from Walt Disney World. Click on the "Dining" section from our Walt Disney World Guide to see the list. Please help us keep the menus up to date! Send photos or scans of park menus to menus@mouseplanet.com to help us keep our listings updated!

With the summer season rapidly approaching, Walt Disney World's seasonal hiring process is under way. An online job fair started on Saturday, and runs through this coming Sunday. The site is promoting full-time, part-time and seasonal jobs available throughout the resort in such positions as Quick Service Foods, Character Look- alike Performers, Attractions, Lifeguards, Merchandise, Character Performer, and Custodial.

According to the site, most entry-level positions start at $7.55 per hour for full-time, part-time, and seasonal positions. Some areas have higher starting pay rates, ranging from $8.05 to $11.78 per hour. The site also lists the various benefits available to cast members, as well as the Disney Look guidelines. You can apply and interview online through Sunday if you're interested.

There is nothing more heartbreaking than a baby who is born too soon having medical complications that leave them with medical difficulties for life, or worse, that never let them leave the hospital alive. On May 15, I will once again be walking to raise money for the March of Dimes. The March of Dimes mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

Over the last five years, through the generosity of MousePlanet readers, friends, family, and co-workers, we have raised nearly $19,000. This year, let's do something really special. My personal goal is to raise $5,000 this year, but you can help in ways other than donating to my walk. This year, you can walk with me. Even if you aren't in the Albany, N.Y., area, you can virtually walk with me by joining Team MousePlanet and walking at the March for Babies site near you. If you join me in walking, money that you raise will help babies in your area to get a fighting chance to survive!

For more information about why I'm walking, or to donate to my walk, please go to my fundraising page. To sign up to join Team MousePlanet, please go to the team page. Let's show those struggling babies how much MousePlanet readers care!

Quick takes …

…Adventures by Disney is providing a special offer for those who book select North American itineraries from now through May 25 for travel between June 14 and September 24. You can receive $300 off a non-discounted regular rate. Destinations include Wyoming; Montana and Canada; Arizona and Utah; Mid-Atlantic; and Alaska. For more information, go to the Adventures by Disney website.

…You can register early to ensure that you get into the special "Presenting Pixar" speaker series for Pixar's 25th anniversary weekend at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. As we reported last week, the sessions, on May 14 and 15, feature "Cars Franchise Guardian" Jay Ward at noon each day, followed by Pixar producer Jonas Rivera at 2 p.m. and composer Michael Giacchino at 4 p.m., with a special presentation featuring all three at 6 p.m.. You can sign up at the Pixar Weekend website.

…Downtown Disney will be hosting Car Masters Weekend May 13-15 (yet another event that weekend). Families can visit with Lightning McQueen, Mater, and Finn McMissile, as well as check out dozens of classic cars on display. In addition, the original Cars will be playing all weekend at the AMC Pleasure Island 24, and you can also check out the new Cars 2-themed Ridemakerz models.

…If you're a fan of both Vinylmation and the space program, be sure to stop by D Street in Downtown Disney West Side to check out two special one-of-a-kind 3-inch Vinylmations, which actually flew on board Space Shuttle Atlantis as part of STS-132 in May 2010. A version of the Park Series 3 "Mission: Space" Vinylmation customized by a Disney artist for the mission, as well as a "Create-Your-Own" figures customized by the astronauts themselves were brought on board the ship by mission Commander Ken Ham. Ham was also the pilot for STS-124, which brought a 12-inch Buzz Lightyear action figure into space for a 15-month stay. The two figures are located in a special display case in the front window, along with the certificates commemorating their flight.

…Starting Tuesday, The British Airwaves will begin appearing at Epcot's United Kingdom pavilion, replacing The British Invasion, whose last performance was over the weekend. The new act, which will perform four to five 20-minutes shows per day, will perform British roll 'n' roll from the 1960s through the 1980s, featuring the Dave Clark Five, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and The Who.

…If you're looking to purchase commemorative merchandise from the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, be sure to stop by the Tea Caddy Shop in Epcot's United Kingdom pavilion, which offers a selection of items.

…Traffic will be disrupted at the northern end of Bonnet Creek Parkway for the next two Sundays, as the Danskin Women's Triathlon (May 8) and the Rohto Florida Ironman 70.3 Triathlon (May 15) will be taking over the southbound lanes from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. each day. If you need to get to the Best Friends Pet Care Center (the only facility located on the southbound side of the road) during the races, follow the signs to a tented area in the Port Orleans Riverside Resort parking lot, where they will be providing a shuttle service.

…The Disney Dream's private dining room at Remy now has a name: Gusteau's Room. The room includes scenes of Paris on the walls, and a "view" of the kitchen from Gusteau's (as seen in Ratatouille) decorates the back wall. The room accommodates eight guests.

…Following the successful experiment with two evening showtimes for stage performances aboard the Disney Dream (and one afternoon showtime for the more popular shows), Disney Cruise Line has decided to offer the same performance schedule aboard the Disney Fantasy, with showtimes at 6:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., when it sets sail next year.

…The art galleries aboard the ships of the Disney Cruise Line have been taken over by Disney, replacing West End Gallery, the former third-party manager. The shops will follow the art gallery model used at the Art of Disney stores at Walt Disney World. Guests can either taken their purchased art home with them or have it shipped to them at the end of the cruise.

…While the negotiations for their full time contract were a long, protracted affair, the Service Trades Council Union have quickly come to agreement on a contract for Casual Regular (part-time) employees in less than a month. A tentative agreement has been reached on the main body of the contract, and voting information will be announced once the addendums for the individual council member unions has been completed.

…Registration for the Expedition Everest Challenge, scheduled for May 7, is now sold out. Registration for the event's Kids Races is 70 percent full.

Crowd information and forecasts are provided by TouringPlans.com, the Web site of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, to help you better plan your trip to the Walt Disney World Resort. TouringPlans.com gathers wait time data from a team of in-park researchers and users of their Lines mobile phone application, and then predicts crowd levels for the next 365 days. Using a scale from 1 to 10, TouringPlans.com has a 90 percent accuracy of predicting the crowds to within 1 point, helping visitors prepare for their trips so they can "Do more. Wait less."

The TouringPlans.com Crowd Calendar reflects how long you will wait in line for attractions at the Walt Disney World theme parks, on average. Easter week is fully over, and the week ahead looks to be average or slightly above average. Our research team and fabulous Disney World Lines users submit wait times year round. Last year, here's what our statistical team measured for the upcoming week:

Date

Overall

Monday, May 3, 2010

3 out of 10

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

1 out of 10

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

3 out of 10

Thursday, May 6, 2010

2 out of 10

This week sees mostly 5s and 6s on the Crowd Calendar everyday, with a high on Friday of a '7'. Check out the Disney World Park Crowd Levels page on TouringPlans.com for park-specific predictions.

The Magic Kingdom is the Park to Avoid on Thursday and Saturday.

The Magic Kingdom is a Best Park on Wednesday, when the resort-wide crowd level is only a 4.

Saratoga Springs Resort – Paddock Leisure Pool closed through June 29 for expansion into a new feature pool, wet play area, and quick-service eatery. During the renovations, the Paddock bus stop and laundry facility will also be closed. Guests can use the High Rock Spring pool near the Carriage House or the leisure pools at Congress Park or The Grandstand. Nearby bus stops can be found at The Springs, Congress Park and The Carousel. Alternate laundry facilities are located at The Springs and Congress Park.

Elsewhere

Cirque du Soleil La Nouba – performs Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Current Discounts & Promotions

Room-only, Deluxe/Deluxe Villas-only discounts released for summer

Walt Disney World has announced a new set of room-only discounts for Deluxe and Deluxe Villa resorts only for stays through mid-August. The discounts provide 30 percent off for stays most nights from June 15 through August 13 (25 percent at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Wilderness Lodge and Polynesian Resort), with discounts ranging from 20 percent to 30 percent for most nights from April 22 through June 14. Note that this offer does not include suites and 3-bedroom Grand Villas.

You can book all of these dates through April 30, and dates starting May 29 can be booked through May 28. Beware, though as rooms may go fast. The number of rooms available at these rates is limited. Suites and 3-bedroom Grand Villas are not included.

Passholder discount through early June

Passholders can save on stays through June 2, including a special rate of $90 plus tax at select Value Resorts most Friday and Saturday nights May 6-27.

Passholders can book through the day before arrival. Beware, though as rooms may go fast. The number of rooms available at these rates is limited. Suites and 3-bedroom Grand Villas are not included. An adult passholder must show their pass at check-in. Minimum length of stay requirements may apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals.

Book your reservation through the Walt Disney World passholder website, by calling Walt Disney World at 407-939-5691, or through your travel agent and using booking code L2H. MousePlanet's preferred Disney travel providers are MouseEarVacations.com and Small World Vacations.

Passholder discounts released for summer

Walt Disney World has announced a new set of passholder discounts for stays through mid-August. The discounts provide 20-35 percent off for stays most nights from June 3 through August 13. The Animal Kingdom Lodge and Polynesian Resort are excluded for all dates, and Wilderness Lodge is excluded June 3-14. Passholders will save 35 percent at Deluxe Villa Resorts, 30 percent at Deluxe Resorts, and 20 percent at Moderate and Value Resorts.

Passholders can book through the day before arrival. Beware, though as rooms may go fast. The number of rooms available at these rates is limited. Suites and 3-bedroom Grand Villas are not included. An adult passholder must show their pass at check-in. Minimum length of stay requirements may apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals.

Reservations may be booked through the Walt Disney World Passholder website, by calling Walt Disney World at 407-939-7414, or your travel agent and using booking code QT9. MousePlanet's preferred Disney travel providers are MouseEarVacations.com and Small World Vacations.

Passholder merchandise discounts extended through 2011

Walt Disney World passholder merchandise discounts have been extended through the end of 2011. Epcot After 4pm, Weekday Select, Seasonal and Annual Passholders get 10 percent off purchases at selected locations, while Premium Annual Passholders (including bi-coastal Premier Annual Passholders) get 20 percent off. The discount is available at Walt Disney World-owned and operated shops, but not those stores owned by "operating participants" (third-party stores). The discount is also not valid on a long list of products, and can not be combined with other discounts, offers or promotions. For a full list of what is not included in this discount, check out the Art of Disney Parks Web site.

Sail across the ocean for $57 per night

If you'd like to take a TransAtlantic cruise for as little as $57 per night, now is the time to book! The 14-night Eastbound repositioning cruise of the Disney Magic is offering eight days at sea and stops at Castaway Cay; Madeira, Portugal; Cadiz, Spain; Gibraltar, U.K.; and Barcelona, Spain for just $799 per person based on double occupancy for an inside stateroom with restrictions. The cruise leaves Port Canaveral on May 14 and arrives in Barcelona on May 28.

Military ticket offer

From now through September 28, 2011, active and retired U.S. military personnel can purchase 4-Day Military Promotional Tickets with either the Park Hopper or Water Parks Fun and More option for $138 per ticket, plus tax, or with both the Park Hopper and Water Parks Fun and More options for $165 per ticket, plus tax. No Base ticket is available with this offer.

The tickets expire and may not be used after October 1, 2011. The tickets may not be used at all Walt Disney World theme parks and other gated attractions on the following blockout dates: December 27-31, 2010 and April 17-23, 2011. Additionally, the tickets may not be used at the Magic Kingdom on July 4, 2011.

Eligible service members include active or retired members of the U.S. military including the U.S. Coast Guard, National Guard, and Reservists. Disney Military Promotional Tickets can be purchased at Shades of Green or at a participating military base (MWR/ITT) office. There is no tax charged for these tickets but they must be activated at a theme park ticket window. Tickets may also be purchased at Walt Disney World Park Ticket Offices and Guest Relations Offices where tax will be charged. No more than six tickets may be purchased by any eligible member of the U.S. military (or their spouse, but not both) for themselves, family members, and friends, and all tickets must be purchased at the same time. If the immediate family has more than five dependents, additional tickets may be purchased for the dependents, however, additional tickets for guests may not be purchased. Valid military identification is required. The tickets are non-transferable and may not be resold.

The tickets may be upgraded to Seasonal Passes or Florida Resident Weekday Select Passes (for Florida Residents), or Annual Passes, Premium Annual Passes, or Disney Premier Pass with credit toward the upgrade based on the actual price paid. The no-expiration option and other upgrades, such as additional days, are not available.

For complete information regarding Disney 4-Day Military Promotional Tickets, military personnel may call (407) 939-7830 or participating U.S. military base ticket offices.

Comments

Mark (@MPMark) is a veteran of dozens of trips to Walt Disney World starting in 1972, with a few Disneyland trips thrown in for good measure. As a Disney stockholder and a Disney Vacation Club member, Mark is always in touch with what's going on with The Mouse. Mark serves as MousePlanet's Walt Disney World content coordinator. Mark is a senior information technology manager working for the State of New York. He lives in the suburbs outside Albany, New York, with his wife and son.

MousePlanet® is not associated in any official way with the Walt Disney Company, its subsidiaries, or its affiliates. The official Disney site is available at www.disney.com. This MousePlanet Web site provides independent news articles, commentary, editorials, reviews, and guides primarily about the theme park resorts of the Walt Disney Co. All information on this site is subject to change. Please call destinations in advance to confirm the most up-to-date information.